The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in Math. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Earl Nance Sr. Elem.
Earl Nance Sr. Elementary is a regular public school in St. Louis, serving preschool through sixth grade. It sits within the St. Louis City school district, in a city that is an independent municipality with a diverse economy anchored by major employers such as the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, as well as large research universities. The city has a rich set of civic and cultural institutions, including the Gateway Arch, Forest Park, and the Saint Louis Zoo, though its political boundaries have been fixed since its separation from St. Louis County generations ago, and its population has shifted over time.
The school is modest in size, with an enrollment that places it near the smaller end for a PK-6 building. The student body is almost entirely Black, and every enrolled student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high-poverty context. This is a school where economic disadvantage is the norm. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available from the source, so that piece of the picture is incomplete.
On the Missouri Assessment Program, the school’s proficiency rates were low across all tested grades and subjects. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced was in the mid-to-high single digits or teens depending on grade, and in English language arts, the rates were similarly low, with a slight uptick in fifth grade before falling again in sixth. Science results in fifth grade were also low. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages those rates, places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in St. Louis city. Because the available test data covers only one school year, there is no trend to report. Parents looking at these results will want to ask the school about its instructional supports and how it is working to raise student achievement from these starting points.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to examine. Chronic absenteeism data was also not reported, which can be a meaningful indicator of school climate and engagement; a parent may want to raise that question directly.
Housing in the surrounding zip code is notably affordable. Home values are well below both state and national benchmarks, though they have been declining recently. Median rent is modest, making the area accessible in terms of housing costs relative to income. This affordability may be a factor for families considering the neighborhood.
No information was available about specific programs, such as gifted offerings, art, music, or after-school activities. The district brief for St. Louis City turned up no recent changes that would be of immediate interest to parents, such as boundary adjustments or major new initiatives. There was also no data on staffing ratios, discipline rates, or magnet or charter status (the school is documented as a regular, non-charter public school, and its magnet status was not reported).
Earl Nance Sr. Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a population that is almost universally low-income. Its academic results are low by any measure, and families considering this school should engage directly with staff to understand the learning environment, intervention strategies, and any enrichment opportunities that may be available. The broader St. Louis city school system includes a wide range of options, and this school fits a specific context of high poverty and below-proficient performance that demands a close look by any prospective parent.
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